LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Two people have been arrested -- and one cited -- after police say they were operating an illegal escort service that was engaged in prostitution.
Police made the arrests Wednesday shortly before 6 p.m. after receiving information that an escort service was being run out of room #104 of an office building on Breckenridge Lane, near Nanz Ave.
A neighbor, Ashley Bearden, called the arrests, "Very concerning, because I don't want that, I mean this is Saint Matthews."
St. Matthews Police Detective Tony Ford explains, "Folks out here aren't used to this."
According to an arrest report, an undercover officer made an appointment for a "back rub" and went inside the business. While there, he allegedly met 29-year-old Joseph Miller, the owner of the escort service, as well as 25-year-old Tamika Arthur and 30-year-old Rhonda Sullivan.
Police say Sullivan took cash and set appointments for the business.
Arthur was the woman who was scheduled to give the undercover police officer a back rub. Police say that wasn't all she offered to give. During the appointment, she allegedly offered the officer a sexual favor for an additional $50.
Miller and Sullivan were arrested and charged with promoting prostitution. Arthur was charged with engaging in prostitution. Police allegedly found marijuana and ecstasy pills in her purse. She was also charged with possession of marijuana and possession of controlled substances.
Bearden lives across the street and says she noticed cars stopping by the business building at all hours of the night: "I thought maybe drugs was going on, and this was recently, because it really caught my attention."
Police say ads for the sex ring ran in the adults section of the website backpage.com. It lists the discreet office as one of the selling points.
While this arrests was just three people, police say getting the ringleader should end a much larger sex service.
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Joseph Miller (Source: Louisville Metro Corrections)
Tamika Arthur (Source: Louisville Metro Corrections)
Rhonda Sullivan (Source: Louisville Metro Corrections)
